


Cherub Rock

by Rozilla



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: 90s Alternative Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Astronomy, Awesome Darcy Lewis, Exploration, F/F, F/M, Grunge, Homophobia, Hot guys and gals in a band, Indie bands, Loki has an army of women, M/M, Multi, Orientation day, Polyamory, Science, Sexism, Sexy Shakespeare, Thor is a charmer
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-17
Updated: 2014-02-28
Packaged: 2018-01-12 20:44:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1199586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rozilla/pseuds/Rozilla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Loki smiled back, wiggling his eyebrows in a way that elicited a mix of jealousy and mass ovulation."</p><p>The year is 1996, grunge is changing and morphing into something introspective and full of muted colours, everyone is wearing plaid, flowers, aliens and smiley faces.<br/>Jane Foster, science major, never thought of herself as 'adventurous', but after falling for two guys at once, perhaps secret option number three is not just the most interesting option, but also the right one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Supervixen

**Author's Note:**

> This is some Frosterson I've been working on for ages, I've been debating about posting it, since I am hardcore Fosterson shipper and Jane Foster defender, but I figured that if Thorki (a ship well and truly sunk for me by the hateful behaviour of SOME of it's shippers) was ever going to work it'd have to be in a world where they a) aren't brothers, b) REALLY aren't brothers, even adopted, c) Loki isn't a mass murderer and d) Jane gets to be part of it.  
> There aren't enough (i.e. any) OT3 fics for them, which is shocking, as they'd make an amazing team in AND out of the sack. If anyone can help Loki redeem himself, then it's the combined efforts of Jane and Thor.  
> All the chapters will be named after my favourite 90s songs. You can't stop me.
> 
> Plot for this chapter:  
> On her first day at College, science major Jane Foster makes a friend, meets members of the hot new band, including their wildly popular singer Loki and handsomely charming drummer Thor, and takes in some Shakespeare.

Jane's possessions, at least the ones she wanted to bring to college, took up three large cardboard boxes and, now that she thought about it, they were mostly books. Her clothes mostly consisted of two tone t-shirts, jeans and plaid shirts, one pair of short boots and one pair of flat sneakers. All practical, comfortable clothes. There was her walkman (old but serviceable, no rewind button) and a pile of prog-rock tapes and audiobooks, plus she did own some make up, sure, but she kept it subtle. It was a necessary chore, not something she particularly enjoyed doing. She also had photos of her family- her, her Dad and her Mom, and a poster of her favourite constellations that went straight up on her wall, as well as her most treasured possessions- her stuffed toy dragon and a signed photo of Carl Sagan. The room was pretty large, with two beds (complete with bedside table), two wardrobes and enough space for a desk each. She hoped her new room mate wouldn't have too much stuff, she liked space. Both kinds.  
There would be lots of events going on, but she had two plans; join the astronomy club then work on her notes for her first class with Professor Selvig – never too early to start! Then go straight to bed, perhaps making time curl up with her new Arthur C. Clarke compendium that her Mom had given her as a going away present.  
Or her very battered copy of _My Secret Garden_.  
A crash behind her made her jump, she turned to see a dark haired girl, about her age, wearing glasses, dressed in a flowery tank top, booty shorts and Doc Martens, carrying three suitcases.  
'Jee-SUS!' She hissed stretching forward 'I must be losing my touch, no one helped me! Even up, like, a million flights of stairs!'  
The girl rearranged herself – she was busty and nearly spilling out of her top- and sighed.  
'You my new room mate?' Jane asked nervously, holding out a hand.  
'Looks like!' The girl took her's and shook it 'Darcy Lewis, friends call me Sugar Tits. Well, only really good friends. Most call me just plain ol' Darcy.'  
Jane tried to smile 'I'm Jane. Jane Foster.'  
'Cool,' Darcy clicked her tongue at Jane's side of the room 'that all you got?'  
'Yup. I like to travel light.'  
Darcy winced 'I have a lot of crap, sorry to say. There's these, which have my clothes, then there's another two outside with my books, tapes, CDs... oh and three more boxes of, like, miscellaneous crap downstairs, though I bet some asshat's stolen them or kicked them around like a soccer ball by now.'  
Jane's smile seemed to freeze in place for a moment before she remembered that normal people offered help in these sorts of situations 'Want an extra pair of hands?' She asked, cautiously.  
'Sure!' Darcy bounced toward her 'hope you're feeling strong!'  
  
They hefted up the boxes and Darcy was not kidding about the, well, crap. There were alien toys, frisbees, tennis balls, comics, glittery stickers (how old was she? Ten?) and... more tapes and CDs than any sane person needed. A lot of mix-tapes by the look of it. Where was she going to put all of this?  
'So, you heading out to the Orientation stuff later? Do you want to come with me?'  
Jane pursed her lips together for a moment, 'Um... I barely know you.'  
'But we're going to live together and I like to be direct,' Darcy grinned evilly 'besides, I don't know anyone else here, please?'  
'I... maybe later. I need to call my Mom first.'  
Darcy shrugged 'Okay, I suppose I need to unpack anyway, but then we're heading out to do stuff; sign up to clubs, maybe talk to people and then we're going to talk to some guys from a band and talk our way into an after party.'  
That sounded like Jane's idea of Hell. Or at least Purgatory.  
'Maybe another time, I've got a class tomorrow and I need to do some notes-'  
'Tomorrow? Jesus, already? What're you majoring in?'  
'Physics,' Jane said, a little tersely, 'I volunteered for extra classes.'  
'Hooo boy.'  
They reached their room, Jane growling inwardly as she opened the front door with a rattle of keys.  
'You seem a little boring and tense,' Darcy tattled, cheerfully.  
'Look,' snapped Jane, turning on her 'I don't even _know_ you so you may or may not be aware, but being a science major is pretty hard work and I have a lot to lose. I want to do well. I'll party when I'm damn well ready.'  
Darcy looked a bit affronted for a second, then her face softened for a moment.  
'Sorry, I come on a little strong,' she said, taking the box from Jane 'probably why I don't make girl friends easily.'  
Jane relaxed a little to 'I'm sorry to,' she muttered 'I'm a little... tense.'  
'Okay, I know and I'm sorry I've kinda sprung this on you, but I need a friend and I need to get on with the person I'm sharing a dorm with. I would appreciate it if you came with me to sign up to a club, I'm thinking of going for drama.'  
'Really?' Jane tried not to laugh.  
'I'm good at it, as you can tell,' Darcy smiled 'C'mon, we'll hang out then you can come back here if you like.'  
Darcy gave her the best impression of a kicked puppy Jane had ever seen. She relented and threw her hands up 'Okay... fine. I'll come along. Guess I need to be a bit social.'  
'Only a bit,' Darcy pointed out 'just to try it out.'  
  
They walked along the line of stalls, passing the Maths Club, the Literary Club, Athletics, The Women's Union, Student Body Council... They found the Astronomy Club eventually, tabled entirely by guys, which Jane expected. They looked a little suspicious when she signed up, but noticed her name.  
'You related to Dr Harold Foster?' One of them asked, a thin looking guy wearing glasses and a Red Dwarf t-shirt. He spoke with a British accent to, which caught her by surprise.  
'Yeah... he was my Dad,' Jane bridled, she knew the rumours would start pretty quickly.  
 _Oh she's only here because her Dad's famous..._  
'Okay,' he said, taking on a kinder tone 'that's cool. We'd love to have you. I'm Ian by the way, I'm the club president.'  
'Nice to meet you.'  
Jane ignored the stares from the club, or tried to, and picked up a flyer about their first star gazing session of the new semester.  
'Did you see Hyakutake in March?' Jane asked, by way of conversation.  
'Oh yeah,' Ian handed her a welcome pack 'pretty spectacular! Shame there's not much happening this month, but we're just going to observe and stuff. We've got spare telescopes, bring some blankets, its going to be really cold that night.'  
'Sure.'  
She smiled, trying not to notice the way some of the other guys were sucking their teeth and muttering as she moved on. Darcy walked alongside, glaring back behind her, arms folded, waiting for one of them to dare and say something aloud.  
'Bunch of dickless little apes,' she spat 'it's the twentieth century for fuck's sake! Not far off the twenty first and they're still acting like it's the middle fucking ages!'  
'Well, they haven't burned me for witch craft yet,' Jane chuckled, relieved someone had her back for once 'that's a start.'  
'Uh-huh,' Darcy shook her head 'Hope it's not like that in Political Science, otherwise I might end up castrating someone.'  
Jane was warming to her already. She'd never made a friend this quickly.  
'Oh. My. God.'  
Jane jumped out of her revelry 'What?' She asked, looking to where Darcy was now pointing. It was the Drama club and there was a crowd of girls around it, gaggling and giggling around the guy behind it.  
'That's Loki! The lead singer of the Warriors Three! Holy crap on a stick! I didn't know he studied here!' Darcy squealed 'He's got the most amazing voice and that body... he's like a vampire lord or something.'  
The guy Darcy was referring to was, indeed, very handsome in a thin sort of way. He had high cheekbones, short black hair (dyed probably) that swept away from his widows' peak and the biggest blue eyes she'd seen outside of a Disney prince. He wore a thin black jumper dotted with holes, the kind she'd seen on a lot of alternative band singers, and black jeans. He was slim and lithe looking, you could see athletic looking arms through the jumper. He was pretty much just sex on legs, female cat nip, or at least to the women around the table. She would, at a push, admit that she was attracted to him, but he seemed to be encased by an impenetrable shell of oestrogen. She stood no chance.  
'Oh be still my beating uterus,' Darcy sighed 'I'm going to sign up. If there's any room left, mind waiting for me?'  
'How're you going to get through the crowd?' Jane asked.  
Darcy lifted her shoulders and pushed her massive chest forward 'These come in handy sometimes.'  
She managed to barge through some of the crowd, earning some rather evil looks along the way from the other girls, and managed to get to the register.  
'Son of a bitch!' She cursed.  
'You can get on the waiting list,' Loki said, in a honeyed voice that was probably illegal in some countries. Another Brit Jane noticed.  
'Oh I will,' Darcy purred back, 'The Warrior's Three playing the night after next?'  
'Of course,' he replied, handing her a flyer 'the more the merrier.'  
'That's my life motto!' Darcy tucked the flyer in her cleavage and winked at him. Loki smiled back, wiggling his eyebrows in a way that elicited a mix of jealousy and mass ovulation.  
'Myself and another member of the Drama Club will be doing a stage fight from Macbeth, come to the Amphitheatre in half and hour for this rather special performance,' Loki announced, to the sighs and giggles of many 'but for now, dear ladies, we must depart. Thank you all for being here.'  
As he left, leaving the swooning masses in his wake, Darcy walked over to Jane, a wicked grin across her face and the flyer still poking out from her cleavage.  
'You... seriously did that,' Jane said, in amazement as they walked away 'Seriously.'  
'I told you I come on strong,' Darcy pulled out the flyer and showed it to Jane 'you heard of them? They're really big on the Indie scene, they're probably going to get signed soon.'  
'The Warriors Three?' Jane read 'No, I'm not much into grunge.'  
'Oh they're more that just grunge,' Darcy sighed, 'they're like... something new. A bit of grunge, but so much more... like... I don't know, so smooth and dark? A bit Sisters of Mercy but no too much, not too Goth, but just enough. Like the kind of thing you'd fuck to of you were a in an Anne Rice novel.'  
Jane raised an eyebrow 'Warriors Three? They sound like a heavy metal band.'  
'It suits them, they make it work. It's an ironic name anyway, there's actually five of them.'  
'Great.'  
'Just listen to their stuff, seriously, it's the hottest thing you've ever heard.'  
'If you say so,' Jane handed back the flyer 'enjoy the show.'  
'You're not coming?'  
'We already discussed this.'  
'I know... but this is kind of a once in a life time opportunity, they're going to get big soon, we need to have seen them before they do, so that we can say that we were there.'  
Jane tensed 'I'm not really into music so...'  
'Please come? I need a wing-girl and there are going to be some really hot guys there, not just the band either.'  
'The band are all hot guys?'  
'Oh yeah, and one girl. Who is also hot, I'd totally go gay for her, she's a freakin' Amazon,' Darcy shivered warmly, 'and even their drummer is smoking. Not that I'm into muscly guys really.'  
'That's a shame.'  
The voice was male, deep and seemed to rumble from a foot above their heads. They turned to face... a man mountain. He was not only tall, but broad, with muscular shoulders and arms barely contained in his plaid shirt. Long blonde hair fell across his shoulders, which Jane had never seen on a man in real life before, not outside a biker club anyway. Even his beard was pretty blonde, he must be part Viking. He must have been standing there for a while, how did they not notice him? It was hard to pull focus away from Loki and his darkly Shakespearean charm, but it wasn't as if this guy could fade into the background completely. He was carrying a huge, heavy looking circular bag, probably had drum equipment in it.  
'Sorry, I'm not following you honestly, but I was walking this way and I heard you two talking about hot drummers, so I assumed you meant me,' he said, bowing dramatically. Darcy grinned and wiggled her eyebrows, even Jane smiled just a little.  
'Hey,' Darcy said, flicking back her hair, 'you must be Thor? I loved your drum opening to _Freak Out and Give In_ , on your _Mountain Wide_ EP? Please tell me you're playing that one at the gig?'  
Thor shrugged. Jane tried not to notice how interestingly his shoulder muscles moved.  
'Might do,' he said thoughtfully, 'depends. You two coming along?'  
'Might do,' Darcy replied, 'my friend here needs some convincing.'  
Jane blushed and stammered, feeling supremely stupid.  
'I take it she means you,' he said, addressing her directly 'you not a fan?'  
'I'm... not as into music,' Jane muttered, cheeks flushed.  
'Seriously?' Thor looked scandalised 'No music at all?'  
'I prefer... older stuff. Prog rock.'  
Thor grinned in a way that made Jane want to dissolve on the spot.  
'I could do a twenty minute drum solo if you like,' he said, shifting the case slightly 'or maybe I could ask Loki to sing a bit of _The Wizard_?'  
'You like Uriah Heep?' asked Jane hopefully.  
'I do. My Dad had their LPs.'  
'Okay... that's cool.'  
Darcy groaned and threw up her hands.  
'So are we going to the gig or not? Or do I have to listen to more of this adorable flirting?'  
'This is not flirting!' Jane shot back, going bright red now 'I'm just... talking.'  
'This can just be talking,' Thor said, casually 'I don't mind.'  
Jane nodded 'If you don't mind. I don't flirt as a rule.'  
'Where you heading off to? Rehearsals?' Darcy nodded to the bag.  
'I'm helping with Loki's thing, then I've got a Taiko drumming performance, trying to recruit more people for the club,' he sighed 'once Hogun graduates we're pretty much screwed for members so...'  
'You do Taiko?' Jane's eyes widened 'You seem a little...'  
'Uncultured? A tad too blonde and white?'  
'Well...'  
'Come along, I'm pretty good, if I do say so myself,' he nodded towards the large green 'we're playing at the amphitheatre, the acoustics are amazing. We're on after his lordship is doing his Shakespeare thing. After you've watched Loki melt a couple dozen panties, you can stay to watch me smack the shit out a drum the size of a tank.'  
'What's Taiko?' Darcy asked.  
'Japanese drumming,' Jane explained, 'it goes back hundreds of years and it's pretty physically intense.'  
'Well, I am pretty physically intense,' he said, grinning 'but gentle in my own way. I can even pick up a drum stick without breaking it.'  
Jane was giggling now, despite herself. She wouldn't expect someone who looked like a huge Viking biker to have a sense of humour like that or to be so damn charming.  
'Well, this was fun, but I've gotta go hit things with sticks in an interesting way,' he bowed a little 'what're your names by the way? We've been talking like ten minutes and I still don't know.'  
'I'm Darcy and this is Jane,' Darcy waved 'see you later?'  
'Sure!'  
They waved him off, Jane watching him go with a strange, dull ache in her stomach.  
'You okay?' Darcy tilted her head.  
'Um... yeah. Sorry, I don't respond well to flirting.'  
'No kidding.'  
They walked on, heading towards a Cookery club serving up hot, healthy alternatives to take out food. Jane would have been happy to kill for a slice of warm nut loaf covered in a mushroom dressing, but she only had to fork out a dollar fifty, so that was a bonus.  
'That stuff looks like rabbit food,' Darcy commented, wrinkling her nose.  
'I like it,' Jane took a bite 'so there.'  
'You are prickly,' Darcy sighed 'I like you.'  
'Thanks,' Jane said with a sideways glance 'I guess.'  
'So, we're going to watch  two hot sweaty guys smack each other with swords! Then you get to watch a huge blonde Tarzan hit some drums. This is going to be _sweet_.'  
Jane tried to relax a little, she did appreciate Darcy's company and, well, she wasn't adverse to a bit of spectator sport every now and then. She could easily do the notes she needed tonight, she'd done most of them already.  
'You're coming to the gig then the party right?'  
'The answer's still no,' Jane sighed 'I'm busy.'  
'C'mon, you can leave early and still get back in time for classes in the morning, but I really need a wing girl to help me hook up with someone after that concert I will explode.'  
'Can't you just... y'know...' Jane gave her a look and lowered her voice 'take matters into your own hands?'  
Darcy stopped and gave her a look 'You mean _masturbate_?! How do you think I've stayed sane over the Summer? Yoga?'  
'This is you sane?' Jane didn't dare look around, she was sure other people heard Darcy say 'masturbate' a bit too loudly.  
'Only just,' Darcy stretched her arms above her head 'and I would like a guy between my thighs at some point in the immediate future, that's not a crime, that's just my biology man.'  
'Well, I'm not a... prude or anything, I just...'  
'I understand,' said Darcy, putting a hand on her shoulder, 'it's a dangerous world out there for those of us who want to get banged and not end up dead, pregnant or with an STD, but trust me, I'm packing tonight. You stick with me and you'll be safe.  
'Packing?'  
For a horrifying moment, Jane suspected she had a gun, but Darcy opened her bag and showed Jane two 12-pack boxes of condoms, a taser, lube and three flick blade knives. Better than a gun, but not much better. 'I'm already on the "Represent Consent" committee so I get access to a ton of free stuff. You can take as many as you like.'  
'Are you going to a gang fight or an orgy?' Jane whispered in horror.  
'Sweetie, I'm prepared for _both_! Now c'mon, let's go grab us some culture and who knows,' she leaned in suggestively 'Thor seemed to like you. Never know your luck.'  
  
The outdoor amphitheatre's tiered concrete seating was soon filling up with girls for the Macbeth performance, Jane and Darcy sat near the back listening to the buzz of conversation around them;  
 _'Oh god he is just fucking beautiful!'_  
 _'Fandrall's pretty cute, he's an easy lay to.'_  
 _'If you can get into their party...'_  
Darcy gently nudged her in the ribs 'You okay chica?'  
'Hmm? Yeah! Yeah, totally.'  
'Sure you are,' Darcy leaned back in her seat, 'so what happens in Macbeth?'  
'You seriously don't know?'  
'Nope,' Darcy opened a bag of chips and gave her a look 'I'm not cultured, but I'm not stupid. Just give me some context okay? I'll catch up.'  
'Macbeth and his wife are trying to usurp the Scottish throne because of a prophecy by some witches, so they murder the king, cover up the crime and Macbeth takes the throne. Then they are both haunted by guilt and eventually Macbeth is killed by a guy named Macduff who the witches- are you listening?'  
'Shhh! It's starting!'  
Jane turned to the stage; a drum was being beaten to signal the start of the performance – to her surprise, and delight, it was Thor, dressed in black, stage left and hammering out a tense, steady beat on a large drum. His face fixed in concentration, his arms controlled and strong as the hit the drum – a Taiko drum she noticed- one of the big, heavy ones that reverberated like a heart beat. It began to die down and the audience hushed into silence. Loki ran on (he hadn't changed from his grunge band look except to wear a slim silver crown and roll his sleeves up) sword in hand and began the scene, whilst the girls around her in the audience let out little squeaks and sighs.  
'They have tied me to a stake; I cannot fly, but, bear-like, I must fight the course. What's he that was not born of woman? Such a one am I to fear, or none.'  
Loki was... amazing. He just seemed to find the words utterly effortless, with the right amount of dramatics and humanity. Boy could he spin a crowd, they leaned in watching him stagger about the stage; confused and afraid, trying to assure himself that he could not be hurt...  
'But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn, brandish'd by man that's of a woman born!'  
They'd cut a bunch of things out, but that was fine. She was probably the only one who noticed. Fandrall was clearly Macduff; he entered right also brandishing a sword. He was pretty to, in an Classic age Hollywood, Errol Flynn sort of way. He had dyed blonde hair and a flare with the sword as he confronted Macbeth 'Turn, hell-hound, turn!'  
Fandrall was not as natural with his performance as Loki, but he was certainly convincing enough, with an only slightly faulty English accent (clearly covering up for his American one). When swords clashed, the clang of metal made the audience jump as they hit; one, two, one, two – parry, block – it was so graceful! Obviously amateur, but they were so intense and buried in their performance that it didn't matter.  
'Thou losest labour: as easy mayst thou the intrenchant air. With thy keen sword impress as make me bleed: let fall thy blade on vulnerable crests; I bear a charmed life, which must not yield, to one of woman born!' Loki circled, his sword pointed toward Fandrall, who lead his blade along the other with a scrape of metal on metal, until it was pointed at Loki's throat.  
'Despair thy charm; and let the angel whom thou still hast served, tell thee, Macduff was from his mother's womb untimely ripp'd!'  
Loki parried him away, staggering back in horror. It was then she noticed Thor standing like a sentry at the back of the stage – he looked right just there, some how adding to the scene. He kept his gaze steady, staring off into the middle distance. He was tall... that long sleeved top he was wearing was pretty flattering to- you could see his biceps through it. His hair was tied in a knot at the nape of his neck, leaving little strands to fall down his face.  
 _And they're all in a band together. Just imagine._  
Now Loki gave his last, most famous speech 'I will not yield, to kiss the ground before young Malcolm's feet, and to be baited with the rabble's curse. Though Birnam wood be come to Dunsinane, and thou opposed, being of no woman born, yet I will try the last. Before my body I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff, and damn'd be him that first cries, “Hold, enough!”'  
The fight continued for a spell, with more choreographed clashes of steel, until Fandrall finally lunged, sword out, towards Loki who caught it between his arm and his body. He buckled, gasping and crying, the audience around them were enraptured and some even leaning forward in their seats.  Fandrall then grasped Loki by the back of his hair, pulling him back, brandishing a knife he pulled somewhere from his belt and crying before dragging it across Loki's throat. A smear of stage blood was dragged across his neck, Loki groaned, gagged and fell forward. He twitched a little, before Fandrall pressed his foot on his neck in triumph and roared to the crowd.  
Silence fell again, Jane could swear she only heard the distant chatter of people and birds cooing softly in the trees.  
Then Thor, who had begun to fade strangely into the background during that last fight, began another steady, thumping beat on the drum. As Fandrall stepped back, shaking and breathing hard. The drums faded, the crowd went silent once again.  
Then, after what seemed like an eternity, Loki got to his feet and took a bow.  
The applause was immense, it seemed to echo and re-echo like thunder, people getting to their feet and some of the girls even screaming as if they had just watched a boy band, not a piece of Shakespeare.  
 _This is how you get the kids to appreciate the classics; throw in a couple of pretty boys. Works for me._  
Jane got up to clap, Darcy was leaping up and down shouting 'We love you Loki!'  
Loki and Fandrall bowed again, then turned to Thor, who flourished a little bow. Jane whooped and clapped for him before she could stop herself. He noticed her in the crowd then, even over the din, and winked at her. She blushed hard and looked away, trying not to giggle like a school girl.  
You're totally into him,' Darcy laughed.  
'I am not,' Jane shot back.  
'I don't blame you, he's really charming, but I'd bet you anything he's gay or something.'  
'Or something?'  
'He just seems too good to be true is all. Maybe he's into something weird and kinky.'  
'I suppose.'  
'He did go out with the guitarist, the Amazon chick I was telling you about,' Darcy rifled in her bag for a cigarette 'Sif her name is. They broke up over... something. No one knows what, but the rumour is that she had been sleeping Loki on the side.'  
 _This is like High School all over again,_ Jane thought with sinking dread, _only hopefully with fewer fruit cups thrown at my head._  
'So he's single?' Jane asked before she could stop herself.  
'I think so,' Darcy teased 'why? You admitting interest?'  
'No!' Jane rolled her eyes, and turned back to the stage whilst Darcy started singing the opening chords to _Let's Get it On_. She had to admit, she had rarely seen such an expression of determination and effort on anyone, let alone someone like Thor. He seemed so... honest. It was all on the surface, he didn't feel like he had to put on a show. Ironic really, but maybe that was common in drummers. She felt a little guilty for being so standoffish.  
 _Just because he's talented, doesn't mean he's not potentially an asshole,_ Jane reminded herself.  
She heard, whispering over the roar of the crowd, some guys talking behind her.  
'Totally on 'roids man, look at the size of him!'  
'He's gay dude, you can see it a fucking mile off.'  
Jane felt the anger rise in her gut, before she really could stop herself, she turned round to face them; a pair of grinning frat boys in sweats and stupid floppy hair cuts.  
'D'you mind?' she snapped.  
They looked at her for a minute before laughing in a needling, weasley sort of way. Jane tried not to let her face flush.  
'Or what? Baby getting her panties all wet?' One of them sneered.  
'You're better off with us, that guy's a fag and he wants dick almost as bad as you do,' quoth the other, as his idiot friend laughed and slapped him on the back.  
'Jesus, where d'you get off being such a fucking ass!' Jane shot back, her stomach flip flopping.  
'Stick around babe,' he grinned, then reached out and touched her face 'you might find out.'  
She pulled away and shuddered, the other one licked his lips and Jane was pretty sure she was going to throw up, before Darcy stood up 'Hey dickwad,' she began, before pulling out her taser 'think fast.'  
  
The scream erupted throughout the amphitheatre, bringing Jane and Darcy, as well as the shuddering frat-boys, to the centre of attention. Thor was the first to react, leaping off the stage and running up towards them. The crowd stood back to let him through, as he cleared the tiered seating two at a time.  
'What happened? You girls okay?' He called.  
'Yeah,' Jane managed 'these guys-'  
'Were being dicks, so I've tasered them,' Darcy finished as they settled on the ground unconscious. The crowd backed away, whispering and pointing. _This_ was Jane's idea of Hell, being at the centre of a ground of pointing spectators when she didn't have a clue what to say next.  
Thor bent down towards the frat boys, he left the first guy there, but accidentally on purpose brought his knee into his crotch as he helped up his friend. 'I'll take them to medical,' he said, hefting ass-hat number two over his shoulder, the guy's head bouncing on the concrete seat 'whoops. Sorry bud.'  
'Sorry,' Jane hissed 'you guys were so good up there. I didn't mean to-'  
'Hey, it's their fault,' he nudged the guy on the floor with his boot 'Dicks will be dicks. You okay?'  
'Um.. yeah, they were just saying stupid stuff.'  
'Like what?'  
Jane hesitated, then shook her head 'I'd rather not discuss it.'  
'Sure, no problem, I'll take them over, Fandral?' He called over to his friend on the stage 'Can you stay with them whilst I take this gentleman over to medical?'  
'Sure,' Fandral called back 'I'll be there in a moment!'  
Jane watched Fandral run towards them and felt a little shaken, more than she cared to admit. Loki stayed on the stage, watching the whole thing unfold. They locked eyes for a moment, she couldn't read his expression... but it worried her slightly, so she quickly looked away.  
'He is gay y'know,' groaned the guy on the floor, coming round 'you've got no chance. He'll be balls deep in Loki tonight, you'll see.'  
Jane, without anyone noticing, picked up Darcy's bag, bringing it up into the guy's face.


	2. Seether

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jane and Darcy begin college life in earnest with their first classes. Jane heads straight to Physics 101 with Professor Selvig and is keen to put the taser incident behind her as quick as possible.  
> Then there's the show and the after party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was far too much fun to write. Sorry! No... wait...  
> Also, the song they're singing is, of course, Cherub Rock and the next one is Ava Adore, but you probably could work that out!

It was the next day and Jane had desperately hoped that a good night sleep would some how clear the air and stop the aching, painful burn in the pit of her stomach, but no such luck. She noticed there were whispers, stares and pointing in her direction as she made her way to her first lecture with Professor Selvig, unless she was being really paranoid. Darcy was fast asleep, intending to catch up before her 'Take Back the Night' march with the Women's Union. Jane contemplated whether she was going to go along to, but felt too drained, too shaken, to even contemplate it.

She entered the big double doors to the Science faculty, her lecture hall number written on the back of her hand. She noticed, with total lack of surprise, that there were no other women here. At all. Misery hung over her like a low cloud as she walked in, making her way down the sloping steps until she got to the middle, taking her time to choose a seat.

'You're early, I haven't even set up the slides yet!'

She looked down and recognised him almost immediately- tall, portly with short grey hair and kind blue eyes. He wore a rather rumbled shirt and an Einstein tie, which was some sort of uniform with Science professors, especially Physicists. She was about to introduce herself, when his face creased in a wide smile 'Hello Jane! Long time no see!'

'Hey Eric,' she waved a little shyly, 'How've you been?'

'Good, pretty good, all the better to see you here, so happy to see you following in your father's footsteps.'

Jane laughed nervously 'Well, yeah, my family hasn't got enough Ph.Ds apparently.'

'Clearly not,' he motioned to the empty hall 'pull up a pew, any where you like.'

Jane took a seat in the middle on the left, putting down her bag and taking out her books, allowing a rather uncomfortable silence to blossom around her. She remembered her Mom telling her about Selvig's break down, not long after her Dad's death-

'So did you do the extra reading? I know I said it was voluntary, but I heard about the taser incident yesterday...'

Jane winced, _so word had got around already? Oh joy_.

'Yes, yes I did, I even completed some of the questions.'

'Wow, it's nice to see someone so dedicated, though I wouldn't expect anything less from a Foster.'

Jane shrank a little 'Listen... Eric- Professor Selvig-'

'I went to your Bat Mitzvah, remember? You _can_ call me Eric.'

Jane sighed 'Not here, I'm a student just like everyone else, please can you not mention that you know my family? I'm pretty sure that everyone already thinks I'm here on my Dad's coat tails...'

Eric looked abashed for a moment then nodded 'Alright Jane, I understand, I'm sorry.'

'No, I am to, I would love to catch up and everything, but I just want to do well that's all.'

'Of course,' Eric gave her a muted little smile 'but I'm sure you'll do more than well. You're such a hard working young woman, I've always thought so.'

Jane blushed a little at the compliment 'Thanks.'

'No problem, but to give you fair warning, I'm giving out a warm up assignment at the end of the session, all about Kinematics in One Dimension.'

'I _did_ come here to study,' Jane pointed out 'and I can do Kinematics in my sleep!'

Eric chuckled 'Nice to see you inherited Harry's modesty!'

Jane felt a lot more relaxed, beginning her scribbling just as a few more students walked in and took their seats, not noticing her in the slightest.

 

After her class, finally feeling closer to her old self again, she stepped out onto the field, looking around for Darcy, spotting a familiar figure lounging under a tree, rolling a cigarette and dressed in an artfully faded t-shirt and ripped jeans. Loki had headphones on, humming whilst he continued in his task, licking the paper across and sticking it together. She noticed there were other girls keeping their distance, but pointing unabashedly in his direction. 

'Hey, Loki?' Jane approached him, a little awkwardly 'Sorry to disturb you, I'm Jane, from yesterday?'

He glanced up in a distracted sort of way, removed his headphones, then went back to pinching the end of his ciggie 'Ah yes, the one with taser.'

'No, that was my friend,' Jane sighed 'I'm the other one. I just need to ask you a small favour.'

'I see. Well, it depends what it is, but ask away, I might be feeling generous.'

Jane was a little taken aback by this  'Okay... have you seen Thor? I feel like I owe him and you as well... like, so much apologising for missing his Taiko yesterday and for... the taser incident.'

He turned to look up at her, fumbled for a lighter and smiled a little 'I'm meeting him later, I can pass on a message.'

'Well... I'd prefer to speak to him in person.'

'Oh really?' He cocked an eyebrow 'Well, far be it for me to get in the way, but he's at work, won't be back till very late. I'm giving him a lift home tonight actually.'

'Right,' she tried to ignore the strange, sickly feeling in her gut 'well... can you tell him that I'm sorry for the trouble I caused and... is there any way I can make it up to him?'

He placed the rollie in his mouth, letting it bob as he spoke 'Can I make a suggestion?'

Jane frowned a little 'Uh, sure, what?'

He lit his cigarette 'Why don't you and your friend come to our show? It's free anyway, so you can see just what a talented Little Drummer Boy he is.'

Jane considered this, trying to ignore the coolly nonchalant way he blew out smoke 'I guess we could-'

'Then you two lovely ladies can come to the after party, here-' he balanced his smoke between his lips again as he fumbled in his bag 'take these. You can come back stage and we'll drive you over to our place afterwards.'

Jane blithely accepted two home-made VIP badges, decorated with a stylised version of Yggdrasil and hung from shop bought lanyards decorated with ying-yangs and peace signs.

'I knocked those up at home, can you tell?' Loki grinned.

'Th- Thank you,' said Jane, pride and social stupidity about to sabotage the whole conversation 'but you don't have to.'

'No, I don't have to - although it'd be hard to have a band without it's singer - but you do, to make up for that little stunt yesterday. Besides, Thor'd love to see you girls there and so would I, plus we could do with some more people at our party, we've been a little too choosy of late.'

 _Does he put on that attitude to mess with people?_ Jane thought _, Or just to mess with me?_ She had yet to decide whether he was charming or creepy, or a possible mixture of the two.

'Cheery bye,' he waved her away 'I'll let Thor know you're coming.'

Jane took the passes and walked away, watching him put his headphones on, feeling strangely absent from the world in general, as if that entire conversation had removed about twenty IQ points. She couldn't shake the feeling that he _was_ taking the piss, either that or he was genuinely that dense when it came to normal conversation, which she could understand, to a point _, but there was no need to be a dick about it._ Also, 'that little stunt'? Seriously? It made her fists itch, as if her day needed any more misogynist ass-holes.

She walked away to where she would find Darcy, standing with the other ladies of the 'Take Back The Night' group; handing out bright pink leaflets and holding up banners that read things like 'Thou Shall Not Grab', 'Sex is Not The Enemy - Rape Is' and 'Consent Is Sexy'.

'Darcy!' She called over, watching her turn in her direction.

'Hey Jane, how's the game?' Darcy stopped, remembering where she was 'Sorry, I do this rhyming thing sometimes, probably not in good taste given the context.'

'Not really, but okay,' Jane fished out the passes 'I got us into the Three Warriors' after part-'

Darcy used her free hand not carrying the leaflets to clamp over her mouth 'First off, _yay_ for you! Second off, it's _The Warriors' Three_ , get it right before you go in or they will eat you alive _Jurassic Park_ style, and third off, do _not_ wave those around or they _will_ be stolen; they are fuckin' _gold_ _dust_.'

She removed her hand when Jane nodded 'Okay, shall I take 'em to ours?'

'Sure, I've got a lock-up box under my bed, put them in there, here's the keys,' Darcy handed her a set 'guard these with your life. I owe you _so_ big right now, thank you!'

Jane headed straight back, the passes tucked away out of sight and deciding that perhaps another early night was called for, she desperately wanted sleep and the place to herself. She felt frustrated and anxious, but there was one little known cure for both - and her well-thumbed copy of _My Secret Garden_ should do the trick.

 

The show was in a large indoor concert venue off campus called _The Palace_ (a converted church apparently) and the place was already heaving by the time they got there. Mostly women, of course, but a few dudes hoping against hope to pick up a Loki-girl or two. Darcy looked stunning, wearing a short dark blue velvet shift dress and her shin high black boots decorated with intricate flower patterns drawn on in white-out. Darcy had despaired at Jane's lack of party wardrobe, but had made a small adaptation to one of her own to accommodate Jane's differing body shape.

'You're like a pixie!' She cooed, pining back the waist on a black shift dress with a daisy pattern and short lace sleeves 'Seriously, I need to get you more dresses and you should show your midriff more often to!'

The idea made Jane want to cry, but she actually liked the dress Darcy gave her - it was a touch on the gothy side, but it suited her. She also wore her normal boots, which seemed to work with the whole look, and a faded black denim jacket. She did wear a pair of silver hammer earrings, the one girly indulgence she had - a box full of novelty earrings from the seventies, which Darcy instantly threatened to steal the minute Jane's back was turned.

'Relax, let's get some drinks,' Darcy waved over to the bar 'I would kill for a beer.'

'I'll just have water, I'm not a good drinker, need to pace myself.'

'Sure bubbala!'

Jane tried to protest, but Darcy had already gone. She felt a stab of guilt for putting up such a fuss - Darcy had taken the wrap for the taser incident, though Thor had stepped in to give his account. She was lucky they weren't kicked out, but apparently Thor's word was to be taken _very_ seriously with the head honchos at the college. His Dad was loaded and a valuable asset to the campus.

'You snagged a good one Jane,' Darcy had teased 'he's stacked _and_ rich.'

She found a seat near the back, giving up trying to see over the crowds, and contemplated her surroundings, wishing she had been able to bring her bag in and read a book - though she was sure you weren't supposed to read at shows; that was probably _beyond_ lame. Darcy came over and handed her a paper cup of water 'We need to get to the front! Perhaps they'll wave and make everyone jealous!'

'I don't need to make more enemies thanks Darcy,' Jane winced 'they probably already hate me for ruining Macbeth.'

'You didn't ruin shit! If they're so warped by the patriarchy that they can't see you were being harassed that's _their_ problem. C'mon, you're here to enjoy the music and lose your shit, let your hair down, chillax Max!'

She smiled weakly and was about to say something, before she was dragged by the arm through the crowds to the mosh pit at the front, Darcy leading the way, boobs ahead like a battering ram.

'Oh god! They're setting up! Quick!'

On stage, there had been an army of roadies and stage hands adjusting the equipment, but Darcy appeared to recognise one of them - a tall, fat but powerfully built man with a beard like a rhododendron. He lifted a sub-woofer like it was nothing.

'That's Volstagg!' Hissed Darcy 'He used to be in the band, but now he's their bouncer. He's a former wrestling champion to! He's fat, but built like a fucking tank!'

'Why did he leave?' Asked Jane, as the man in question set it down near to where a gorgeous Yamaha electric guitar was sitting pretty in it's stand. She saw it was decorated with stickers depicting fantasy figures - mostly warrior women in skimpy armour.

'He has, like, a million kids, they needed their Daddy around.'

'That's sweet,' Jane replied, as a woman entered stage left, to excited murmurings around her.

'Omigod! That's _Sif!_ ' Darcy virtually squealed 'she is so amazing! She's so badass, she don't take shit from anyone. She once made a dude cry after he tried to grab her ass, and there's a rumour she kissed Courtney Love and once got drunk with Louise Post from Veruca Salt, but can't remember what they did together!'

Sif was tall, leanly muscled and dressed in ripped jeans, laced up boots and a faded wolf vest-top. She had long dark hair tied back in behind her in a thick plait and had tattoos all the way down one bicep - a smiling, Celtic sun and Norse whorls that encircled her arm. She _was_ cool, how you'd imagine a woman in a rock band to be. She knelt down to inspect her guitar, plucking at the strings and talking to Volstagg.

'Where's Loki?!' Screamed someone from the crowd 'We came to see Loki!'

Darcy rolled her eyes, as more people took up the shouting 'Lo-ki! Lo-ki!'

'Jee-sus,' she sighed 'these people make me want to vomit.'

'You like Loki right?' Jane asked, straining to be heard over the noise.

'Well _yeah_ , but I like the _music_ to, these girls don't give a shit, they're only here for the eye candy, totally letting the side down.'

Jane remembered their conversation a few days ago - boy had Darcy changed her tune! Plus, Jane wasn't here for the music either, to be fair, but decided to leave it be. It occurred to her she hadn't told Darcy about the way Loki spoke to her. Besides, Darcy went on a march yesterday _and_ defended her against two jock-frat boy ass holes, so perhaps she knew what she was talking about. She listened to Darcy's endless stream of information, introducing each member of the band as they came on;

'That Japanese guy is Hogun - he's kinda new, plays bass, but apparently can play - like - a million other instruments, including a bunch of Japanese ones. Oh! Those _Nameneko_ t-shirts are sssoooooo hard to get hold of! He is apparently friends with Naoko Yamano from Shonen Knife and went to school with Yuki from Judy and Mary!'

'Fandrall's dad was a roadie for The Flaming Lips, said they're a bunch of pricks, but he got to have a go on Ronald Jones' Rickenbecker. He's apparently got a real reputation with women! He's a total man-whore.'

'There's your boy! Thor was in a metal band, you can tell right? His record is a fifteen minute solo.'

'How do you know all this stuff?' Jane asked, staring at her, trying not to stare at Thor making himself comfortable behind the drum kit. He spun a stick experimentally in his fingers, trying out each drum in turn and concentrating.

'I used to run their fanzine - dropped out a year ago, too much drama - and I practically lived in their usenet group and I set up their fan website, though the girl who runs it now has - like - _no_ clue how the internet works! She keeps putting these really high res images that look ugly and take a million years to load, even if you have _do_ have a 56k connection!'

Jane nodded weakly - this was probably how people felt when she tried to explain String Theory.

'Testing,' Fandrall tried the mic, 'I think we're good to go.'

'Where's Loki?!' A girl cried from the audience.

'Who?' Asked Sif into the microphone, to the amusement of no one. There were a few 'Ooooohs' from the crowd, Fandrall sucked his teeth as Sif adjusted her guitar and strummed out a few chords.

'I would _not_ like to be you right now Sif,' he chuckled into the mic, half-joking.

Sif shrugged 'Bring it on.'

Jane giggled nervously, Darcy snickered and called out 'We love you Sif!'

'Still, we do kind of need him on stage,' Fandrall looked out to the left 'unless Thor wants to stand in.'

'You'll need someone to drum,' he called from the back.

'That's fine, we'll just shave a gorilla or something.'

The crowd did chuckle at this, Thor responded by playing a rim shot, then giving Fandrall the finger.

'Hello.'

The response was nothing short of euphoric, erupting in a mass of screams, with Jane wincing at the sudden rush of noise. She felt about a million years old, despite being the same age as everyone around her. She and Darcy rode the wave as best they could as Loki sauntered on stage, dressed in a black striped shirt and tight trousers that kinda left little to the imagination. His hair was black, curly and long, completing the vampire overlord look. Even Darcy was screaming at this point, so Jane just let it be and she had to admit, he was _mesmerising_. She wasn't into tall, thin guys normally, but - hot dang - this one would probably be a game changer _except he seems like a total prick, remember that_.

He held out his hands and lowered them, the crowd hushed as if he held their volume control, then he put his finger to his lips with a wicked grin.

'This one is for a very special lady in the audience tonight, hope she likes it,' he purred, then turned to nod at Thor. He began a drum roll, stopped, then again, then Hogun started a bass melody that got Darcy hopping up and down and squealing in delight 'OMIGOD! THEY'RE PLAYING MY SONG! HOLY SHIT THEY'RE PLAYING MY SONG!'

Fandrall's guitar came in to join the build up, then finally exploding with a hard throb of sound from Sif, who looked every inch the warrior queen that Darcy described. When Loki took the microphone as if he were going to take it deep throat right there on stage, she was surprised to hear him using a strange variation of an American accent, he seemed to be singing through his nose but - it worked somehow. He swayed his hips to, snake like, occasionally glancing up at the crowd as if he were trying to outstare them. She couldn't make out the lyrics over the crowd - something about hipsters and freaking out- but it didn't matter really. She looked over at Darcy who was singing along without a care and swaying as if in a trance - or trying to in the jostling crowd. Jane found herself staring at both Loki as he sang and Thor as he drummed, both utterly absorbed in their music. Thor was sweating buckets under the lights, not to mention the drumming. He hit with precision and force - just like he did for Macbeth. The song included a long guitar solo from Sif, as promised, and she wielded the guitar like a sword. Jane was not one for enjoying music - not in the same way Darcy did- but oh... she could enjoy watching this band. The way they just _lost_ themselves in it! As the song came to a close, Loki unhooked the mic from it's stand so he could saunter around the stage - every inch the rock star - whilst dipping his hand into the crowd as if testing the water. The girls were going _nuts_.

 _I don't blame them._ The though surprised Jane out of her revelry just as the song came to a close. The screams and cheers, the stamping of feet, it was like an earthquake. Good lord. There was a brief recovery time where Loki took a swig from a bottle of water, Sif pushed her sweat-slicked hair out of her face and Thor flexed his arms to get some life back into them. When Loki had regained his voice he purred to the crowd 'Hello again.' He waved his arms to control the volume of the crowd, they shushed as he lowered his hands, as if operating an invisible volume control.

'Dude, you scare me,' Fandrall said, sounding genuinely terrified.

'It would seem I have an army,' Loki chuckled, to the cheers of the crowd.

Jane glanced to Thor for a moment, who was rolling his eyes and picked up a towel to dry his face. He looked as though someone had upending a bucket of water over him. It made him look rather... shiny. Jane snapped out of it.

A few more song passed by, all in the same vein of slow guitars, rolling drums, solos - the lyrics (what she could make out) were about heart break, nostalgia, contemplating and such things. They wouldn't normally interest Jane all that much, but the way they were played on stage - with all of Loki's purring sexiness and the band's utter devotion to their music - she could grow to like it. The crowd hushed again, Loki stood back, pushing his hair out of his face.

'Right, this next one,' Loki was saying, as the crowd hushed 'is a new one, we've never played this one live before, but we're working on a new album, a full LP. Still thinking of a name for it, but we're rather proud of this one.'

He turned to the band, he said something out of the mic so the crowd couldn't hear it very well, but the band nodded back.

'This one's called _Adora_ ,' Loki shook his short mane of black hair 'please enjoy.'

Darcy looked somewhere between utterly delight and horrified she was kept out the loop 'I didn't know they were doing a whole new _album_! Jesus! Oh my god! Jane! They must have secured a deal!'

Jane was about to try and answer, when the new song started. It was... different. Thicker. Darker. Brooding. Like the first one, it started with a rolling drum - but this one sounded more like a marching beat. Thor blew strands of his long blonde mane out of his face as he went, the rest of the band followed suit. This song appeared to be about... a relationship? No. Something else. More like a dark fantasy, immortal and mortal type thing - it put her in mind of something like... HAH... a vampire. Darcy was right on the money. There was a fairy-tale, Angela Carter-type thing going on there. A bit gothic, which was meant to be part of their appeal. It was a world apart from their other songs, but the crowd seemed to be getting into it. Darcy was losing herself in the music completely, she looked high as a kite. She wouldn't even _look_ at Jane whilst they were playing. Jane never lost herself to music like that, numbers and stars and reading did that for her. The song came to a close, a sudden stop that surprised everyone. It took them a while, but once they came out of their revelry, they were just as enthusiastic as ever.

'So...' Loki smiled 'I take it you like it?'

The crowd roared their affirmation.

'Oh good. We'll keep that one.'

The rest of the gig passed like that, song after song, until the very last one, which appeared to be another fan favourite that had Darcy bouncing up and down. Jane was relieved by this point - exhausted, sweating and desperate for a quiet few minutes to catch her bearings. When it came to a close, the band went off stage with a huge cheer, Darcy pulled her out of the crowd and hurried her towards the stage door.

'The passes! Oh god! I didn't bring them!' Jane hissed.

'That's okay,' Darcy reached in her bra 'I put 'em somewhere safe.'

She pulled out both passes and showed them to the large looking dude with tattoos guarding the back stage 'We've got passes! We can go backstage!'

He glared at both of them 'I don't know anything about passes,' he growled at them 'wait here.'

They did, Darcy looking scandalised 'Jack ass,' she muttered 'he's just stalling.'

'Loki gave me those,' Jane looked a bit panicky 'why would-'

'Hope he wasn't messing with you,' Darcy muttered 'my opinion of him has fucking _plummeted_ already.'

Jane was about to ask when the door opened again. The same dude, who glared at them 'Fuck off.'

'Ex- _cuse_ me?' Darcy put her hands on her hips 'My friend got these passes from Loki, y'know, the dude singing on stage?'

'The band don't know anything about them,' the dude flexed his arms 'now fuck off.'

Darcy was about to argue, when Jane tugged at her arm 'C'mon Darc, let's go.'

'Tell Loki he's a total jack-ass!' Darcy called over her shoulder as they walked away.

Jane felt very _very_ stupid. Darcy was furious. They were outside whilst Jane took some deep breaths and Darcy lit a cigarette, her hands shaking as she put away her lighter.

'I am going to spread this like fucking wildfire!' She was hissing 'I knew he was a prick! _Knew_ it!'

'How?' Jane asked, then corrected herself 'apart from tonight that is.'

'He did nothing to help us, did you notice? He just fucking stood there when I tasered that guy, didn't lift a _fucking_ finger!. He thinks he's such hot shit!'

Jane felt inclined to agree. She glanced at her watch and sighed 'Should I call a cab? Or will there be bus?'

'Can't afford it and no, they're all gone,' Darcy sighed, flicking away some ash 'we'll have to walk. Good thing I didn't go with heels tonight.'

It was cold already and it was a good five mile walk and the jacket was not warm enough, not to mention the wind knifing through her tights and making her shiver.

'Sorry Jane,' Darcy took her hand.

The touch made Jane jump a little, but she settled again 'That's okay. It was fun, really.'

'We'll get take out on the way home- shit, no money.'

'Never mind. Let's just get back.'

They started down the road, when a car horn sounded behind them. Darcy was about to give some asshole the finger, when they saw it was Volstagg, the band's bodyguard. He pulled up in beat-up Station wagon.

'Hey, I saw you two trying to get in! You had those passes?' He had wound down his window.

'Uh, yeah,' Darcy replied, testily, 'but one of your goons said it wasn't kosher. We're walking home.'

'Curtis wasn't made aware of the passes, I knew Loki had made them,' he replied nodding to the back seat 'Thor said there would be a couple of girls coming along. Wanna hop in? I can take you ladies to the party?'

Darcy eyed him suspiciously 'You're not going to murder us and stuff our mutilated bodies in the trunk are you?'

'Nope, not enough room, I've got my kid's bike in there.'

They glanced to the back seat and saw a pile of stuff clearly belonging to an army of kids, not to mention a baby seat.

'I can take you home if you want,' he said, 'can't have you girls going home alone.'

Jane shrugged, Darcy reached into her pocket where Jane suspected she had her taser primed just in case.

'Whatddya think Janey-kins? Party or home?'

Jane gave it some thought. On the one hand, she really wanted to sleep or study. She wanted a hot shower or a cup of tea... but...

'Will Thor be there?' Jane asked, feeling a bit stupid for asking 'I owe him an apology.'

'Sure, he's gone on a beer run, but he'll be there,' Volstagg reached behind him to dislodge a huge Mickey Mouse stuffed toy and lift the lock on the back door 'Hop in.'

They did.


End file.
